Comparisons
by EvanSol0919
Summary: "He couldn't help but make comparisons. It felt so different...yet so similar at the same time."  Ichigo's thoughts during chapter 452, "Erosion/Implosion"


So for those who have not read the latest chapter, beware of the spoiler…

RUKIA IS BACK!... oh and Ichigo has his shinigami powers back but who cares about that… RUKIA IS BACK!

(deep breath) I have missed her soooo much! Finally things can getting back on track… it only took 35 chapters to do that… (sigh)

Anyway… this is just a little one shot I came up with. Takes place in the beginning of chapter 452, Erosion/Implosion

Tell me what you think! Own nothing and never will!

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"ONE HUNDRED!"

The boy then promptly collapsed onto the floor. Even with his body pushed past the point of exhaustion, the seventeen year old still had a set of powerful lungs on him.

"NO! DEAR GOD, NO! I'M NOT DOING ANY MORE OF THIS!" he screamed to the empty void that was 'Invaders Must Die', his arms flailing as he succumbed to a temper tantrum.

"What's wrong? You're _already_ tired?" said a very calm, very bored Ginjo.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, 'ALREADY'? HOW MANY SETS OF 100 PUSHUPS ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE ME DO?" Ichigo yelled as more sweat poured down his face.

"We're only at fourteen, no?" asked the experienced fullbringer, putting his hands in his pockets, his nonchalant attitude only enraging Ichigo even more.

"'WE'RE ONLY AT FOURTEEN, NO?' ARE YOU INSANE? ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME INTO A WRESTLER OR SOMETHING?"

"Stop your yammering. It's only fourteen sets. All right, your name's got a 1 and a 5 in it, so let's go for one more," Ginjo reasoned.

"NOT THAT BULLSHIT AGAIN! I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE PULL THAT NAME CRAP!" shrieked the strawberry. Seriously, it was very annoying and very unoriginal.

"Liar. You always were those '15' pattern shirts," replied Ginjo with a deadpanned expression.

Ichigo had forgotten that the man had been spying on him and did not like being reminded.

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU KNOW THAT? YOU'RE PRACTICALLY A STALKER WITH YOUR 'INFORMATION NETWORK'!"

"Quit complaining already before you lose your voice. It's one more set. You've been through worse."

Ichigo reluctantly agreed, muttering very unpleasant things about Ginjo and where he could shove his pointy sword.

He began once more, his body falling into motion. By 50, he could no longer feel his feet. By 80, he couldn't feel anything.

"And stop! That should do it," said the black haired man. With that, Ichigo almost passed out on the black floor, struggling for breath.

"What? You're awfully quite. You're not gonna complain?" asked a somewhat surprised Ginjo. He had become so accustom to the teenager's grievances that the silence was strange. "How about you do one more set then?" Before Ichigo could strain his vocal cords one more time, Ginjo sat at the table Yukio had given them. "Relax, I'm joking. Your stamina's probably reached rock bottom by now."

"Stam…stamina…" Ichigo panted out, not fully understanding the meaning.

"That's right. We use our fullbrings with our physical bodies. You'll need a ridiculous amount of stamina to use yours well," he explained.

Ichigo had regained enough feeling in his joints to sit up, giving his full attention to the other man. "So that's why you're having me do this stupid ass training."

Ginjo smiled slightly. "You're recovering fast. That's good too. You saw something when you fullbring completed, didn't you?"

The orange haired boy stilled in shock, remembering that moment…

"Just as I suspected. Your mangled eyes should have 'seen' my form bathed in reiatsu. It was for that reason that I destroyed your eyes right then. What you saw is proof that you've begun to regain your shinigami powers."

The former substitute's heart began to race at the words.

"When you lost your reiatsu, a tiny remnant accumulated in a single location within you, over a long period of time," Ginjo said, continuing his explanation. "That's why we used the reiatsu flowing into you from your badge fullbring to jolt the reiatsu inside you awake. All that's left to do is to beef up your body and new powers. Then, your shinigami powers will fuse with your fullbring," he said while standing.

"Ichigo, you will gain a power transcending the shinigami."

He then tossed the skull marked badge back to its master. "Try it. Your fullbring should be _truly_ complete."

The high school student stood up, ignoring the throbbing in his legs. He held the badge out in front of him, a bright light illuminating from the emblem, enveloping him in its warmth.

When the light dispersed, Ichigo looked down at his new attire, utterly speechless.

He couldn't help but make comparisons. Even after seventeen months, he could still vividly remember the heavy black robes hanging loosely on his form, in the style of an ancient warrior long forgotten by the modern world.

Now he was in a tight body bodysuit that clung to his skin. White armor covered his chest, arms, legs, and face but it did not weigh him down. This outfit was so different… so _futuristic_… like something out of a movie.

It was hard to say whether or not he 'liked' it or not. He flexed his how clad arm, feeling the strength within it.

There was only one thing missing…

As if reading its master soul once more, the badge transformed itself into a sword. Ichigo examined it closely. It was smaller than Zangetsu but larger than Tensa Zangestu. But that wasn't what was important. Ichigo tightened his grip on the hilt.

It felt so…so…_right_. After almost two years, he was holding an actual sword once more. He had the power to protect all those he cared for again.

He then noticed the case on his back and immediately sheathed his new weapon inside it. For a moment, he took in the feeling of having a blade on his shoulders again. Ichigo didn't realize how much he missed the weight pressing down on his back. It wasn't as heavy as the sword he was used too… but it was reassuring… almost comforting…

"That sure is something to look at. I almost mistook you for someone else."

Ichigo turned to face the speaker. "Ginjo…"

He really had no idea what to say. Somehow…'thank you' didn't quite seem like enough…

"Come to think of it, your fullbring needs a name too."

"_A name,"_ Ichigo thought. He remembered what Ginjo had said before about his name containing a 1 and a 5.

"_No… that's not right… my name means 'he who protects'… and now I can."_

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Of course now we know what happens!

Anyway, your thoughts? I've never been inside the mind of a teenage boy before. I'm curious to see how I did.

Love from EvanSol0191!


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